Wisden obituary
Thomas Francis Smailes, who died in a Harrogate hospital on December 1, aged 60, did admirable work for Yorkshire as a professional right-arm medium pace bowler and an enterprising left-handed batsman from 1932 to 1948. He had been in poor health for several years. Yorkshire won the County Championship seven times during Frank Smailes's first-class career, in which he took 802 wickets for them for 20.72 runs each and hit 5,683 runs, average 19.19. In each of four seasons he took over 100 wickets, achieving the cricketers' double in 1938, when he hit the highest of his three centuries--116 against Surrey at Sheffield. That summer, too, he was an outstanding figure for Yorkshire in the game at Bramall Lane which, but for rain, would in all probability have brought victory over D. G. Bradman's Australians. When A. B. Sellers sent the Australians in to bat on rain-affected turf, Smailes dismissed six batsmen in 29 overs for 92 runs and in the second innings he took four wickets for 45. As a result, his name figured among the thirteen from which England were to choose their team for the third Test at Old Trafford, but rain prevented any play in the match. Smailes's only Test appearance was against India at Lord's in 1946.

His command of length and ability to make the ball move played a big part in a number of fine bowling performances. Chief of these was the taking of all ten Derbyshire wickets for 47 runs -- following first-innings figures of 4 for 11 -- at Sheffield in 1939. He enjoyed great success against Glamorgan at Hull the summer before, his analyses reading: six wickets for 35 runs--all in 37 deliveries at a cost of 17 runs--and eight for 68. In 1936 he disposed of seven Worcestershire batsmen in an innings for 24 runs at Headingley and obtained four for 26 and six for 36 in Yorkshire's meeting with the Indian touring side. He served in the Royal Artillery during the Second World War, reaching the rank of captain.
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack

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